Marianne's back pages by Lolo

What I love about this patterned paper is often times it can be as it is. For instance, this little bluebird is sitting in the middle of a mandala shaped design. All I did was write this in the middle..."This little birdie brings a message of love from lolo in Rhode Island to Marianne in the Netherlands."

The larger piece of paper (because it overlaps the first) is filled with these wonderful organic shapes like flowering branches. I wanted to put a raven in there but I think a Red-Winged Blackbird is quite a better choice this time. Besides, he's such a hopeful sign of Spring!
I colored in some shapes here and there to give this side more color.
There you have it. Now tomorrow it will go to Joss!

Marianne's front pages ala Lolo

Well I can tell you we've all been waiting for Sjimmie to show up from The Netherlands!

Bliss has been waiting by the big studio window for weeks now.

Wait!! What's that shadow behind the stained glass window? Poor kitty is cold and wet from the snow. Oh my goodness, it's Sjimmie!! He's finally here! Let's let him in and make him warm and cozy. Bliss, will you share your food? Emma, will you be nice??

After a nice meal and a little grooming, Sjimmie, Bliss and even Emma became fast friends.

I gave Sjimmie a tour of the studio and he cuddled up next to Bliss, taking in all there was to see.

He kept being distracted by my beautiful birth mandala that his mom Marianne painted for me. We all knew he missed her. The three new friends spent a wonderful few days together before we sent Sjimmie on his way to London where Jossie would see to it he gets home safe and sound.

We're going to send him first class with a special blanket in case he gets caught in more snow!

Bye-bye Sjimmie! We loved having you here! Next time bring your mom!

The back pages will be worked on today as well. I'll post them asap ;)

A page for Marianne by Caroline

Marianne's cat Sjimmie arrived in Kulala Lumpur some days ago and has been shown around town by my 3 cats! He's had a few adventures whilst he's been in Malaysia, and decided to send a postcard home to his Mama and stick his holiday pics in an album.



I made the card with watercolour pencils, batik fabric, wrapping paper and black japanese paper. It's attached to the page with photo hinges so you can take it out to read the back! You may need to click to enlarge to read Sjimmie's writing. The photos are also removable - I used a pen with watercolour pencils for these.

I'll be sending Sjimmie on his travels again tomorrow. Bye Sjimmie, you're heading back to the States to Lisa now!

Suki's pages

The first page for Suki's book is a sandcastle.

Notice the heart inside.

Home is where the heart is.

The second page is inspired by a poem by Twilight Whispers.

I wrote the words on the back

I connected the two pages by making the horizon longer.

So they formed one image in the end.

When I started I planned something very complicated. I wanted to make a collage. Use the stamp I got from Linda and her beautiful papers etc. I wanted so much and it ended so simple.........I just started and it turned out this way.

I was pleased with the outcome. I hope you will too Suki.

and here is the poem:

Finding My Home

Finding where my loyalties lie
Finding where the bluebirds fly
Finding the path that leads back in time
Is finding my home

Finding where my young years are
Finding memories from afar
Finding where my mind has gone
Is finding my home

Finding where the rainbows end
Finding where the oceans blend
Finding a quiet and calming place
Is finding my home

Twilight Whispers

It was so nice holding Suki's book in my hands!

To see all the pages everyone has created in real were a sight for sore eyes!

I will send these on to Mim this week .

Have fun Mim! In between all your busy things.

suki's page for Marianne's book

Well my jacket blocked off the bottom of this but I'll leave it. Acrylic paint on Stonehenge paper. Two pieces of scrap paper for tablecloth and bowl. The shutters open and close and the shutter shadow in this picture is caused by the sunlight and is not painted on.
Marianne had a peace sign and a silver moon on her page so I repeated them here. I think I made Sjimmie a tad fatter than he is. Marianne said Sjimmie likes to eat tomatoes and canned mushrooms which is why those are on the table top.


I am not really good at direct painting like this so there are numerous mistakes. I prefer painting on a surface that I can paint over and over until I get it "right" which only means the way I want it. I will mail Soulbrush and Marianne's books to Katie Jane hopefully on Monday.

pages for Lisa's book

Today I finished working on Lisa's pages.

I received the book in the weekend ans first I admired the pages inside.

My... what gorgeous pages, the book will be so nice!

The front of the page is daytime, the back is night,

there is less to see but everything is still there ,like magic!

The owl can see it all.........

The pages are done in watercolor and ink.

I know Lisa loves birds and nature so I tried to incorporate those elements.

I loved working on these pages because I love animals and nature as well.

Well who doesn't?

The white sides will disappear later in the cover.

On the back page I wrote (in white pencil)

the last lines of a poem by Hazelmarie Elliott.

I will soon forward it to Mim and hope to get a book soon again.

Hope you will like it Lisa.

Between the Now and Then

Upon horizon, night to day ~

there between the now and then,

I often pause along the way,

to tiptoe through the moonlit glen ~

or perhaps take in sun's light,

night to day ~ day to night.

Upon horizon, day to day ~

there between the then and now,

as seasons grow along the way,

to crease the face of timely brow ~

or perhaps steal time away,

day to day ~ day to day.

Upon horizon, day to night ~

there between the now and then,

I stand beneath my autumn light,

bereft as memory calls again ~

to pain the heart with bygone sight,

Night to day ~ day to night.

Upon horizon, night to night ~

there between the then and now,

I know that winter casts its sight,

on one last leaf that will not bow ~

to frost within its golden sight,

night to night ~ night to night.

Upon horizon, night to day ~

there between the now and then,

I know my spring will fade away,

and summer's soft remember when

will echo gently autumn's way ~

day to night ~ night to day....

Winter's near ~ Winter's near......

Hazelmarie Elliott

My Book Cover

The front of my book cover.

Acrylic on canvas

The back
This is the way it will look when the edges are folded


Must think of a way to put it all together nicely......

And this is how I did it......

Sjimmie's World

~Sjimmie's World~

Sjimmie's world is small and comfortable.
I am sending him around the world to visit my blogfriends to expand his view.
New adventures are awaiting him.
I would love it if you could show Sjimmie something typical of the country/area you live in.
Everything is ok as long as Sjimmie (a black cat) is in it.

The pages are square: 6 x 6" with 1" to attach your pages.

It was hard to get started.
Just like when I was a kid; I love to be creative, but when you put me in front of a blanc page with no theme it takes time before I get creative......
That's what I like about mandalas there is already a beginning and an end, all I have to do is go!
For me it was easier to work on Soul's book: the beginning was there. All I had to do was continue.
So I forced a beginning: I cut out a size, I love round and square things, so square it was.
And then I just started, the rest came as a mandala, step by step!